General Chat

Morning All,

Ann sounds like you had a good adventure yesterday. Hope you don't ache to much today! I have'nt opened your pics yet but I am sure they are very good.

We grew a bean at school, in a jam jar with blotting paper curled around the inside of the jar and the bean between the side of the jar and supported by the paper. Also a hyersynth (sp) suported on a card ring on a jam jar. Mine was blue and we were aloud to take them home. We also did the mustard and cress on blotting paper and I did it for my son when he was small on kitchen paper on a saucer. Another way is to fill an old stocking or pair of tights toe with potting compost and tie it in a knot to make a ball and sow the seed on the wet ball, place on a jar and make a face with a felt tip pen (permanant) and grow the cress as hair. Great fun for children.

Raining here today, it started last night before I took the washing in. Now it is dull and dreary and wet.

10.06

Frank good to know Harvey was ok after his op and just tired but feeling better. Poor Lewis must have upset him somewhat to see dad under parr.

10.10

Morning Mandy
Lovely sunny day here, we had frost this morning but it has all gone now,
just watched He*r Hun*ers on the Tv, now I'm off to get a shower.

we have got an appointment with the solicitor this afternoon, to change our will, my dad's name is to come off as he was guardian to my girls and also we need to sort out arrangements for grandchildren to be added. it's all go here.

I'm meeting up with friends for a meal out tonight,I haven't been out for a meal since before Christmas due to my stomach problems. I will have to watch out how much I am eating, just can't manage a 3 course meal in the evenings any more.

Better go and get a shower or I will start something else on here and the time will get later.

BBL

10.11

Morning Mel
you just got in before me.

Morning Everyone

Mandy those webs are feet long sometimes aren't they.It is just by chance we spot them.A couple of times one has tickled my face lol

Fiona ,I bet it will nice to go out with your friends tonight.I often only have 2 courses.

Mel ,you brought back my memory of growing the runner bean.Of course it was in a jam jar in between the paper.How could I forget that.

Ann just had a look at your pics.It looks a lovely place and how lucky to see the Water Vole.
I must get a coffee and see what the dog is after.
11.04

Morning Jane
I'm all washed & dried now.
yes looking forward to going out only thing is we meet up about 8 , I only hope I can stay awake, I seem to start yawning about 9 and recently have been in bed by 10 or 1/2 ten.

Thanks for your pics Ann ,fantasic scenery, it must be a lovely place to go for walks.

I am struggling with this new family soft ware , going to take me some time to find my way around, anyone else got FAM*LY TR*E M*ker 2011 on here.

11.30am

Morning Flowers, All rested and ready to go, I hope !!!!

Harvey had keyhole surgery for his op. He woke at 3am feeling hungry. Ros had taken in a smoked salmon and soft cheese sandwhich, so he ate than, and a pot of fruit salad. He had a another pot of fruit this morning with his porridge.!!!! You won't stop him eating. 6' 3" and 18 stone. eats like a horse. I would perfer to keep him for a week rather than a fortnight.!!!!

Sk# packed up yesterday. After spending an hour on the phone, doing this test and that test. it was decided I need a new card. Will take upto five days to get here, AND THEY cancel the old card as soon as the new one is sent out. So back to BBC and channel 4/5. Which I don't miond. but she can't watch her corrie, emmerdale etc. Not a happy bunnie.

We get a lot of those bodyless long legged spiders. They leave horrible thin webs around the ceiling. Can only see them when the lights are on.

Having a day off today, from garden and digging, The raking will wait a couple of days, then I can think about planting the seeds.

Conrad has a special tomato he likes from Waitro#e. Ros bought a couple home deseeded them, dried them out on kitchen towel on the
radiatorplanted seeds in compost, and we have about 50 plants starting to grow. They are the little plum type, so we will see how they go. What with all the other seeds that are coming through, you can't find a space in the conservatory and greenhouse.

It's time for this computor to go, it's all over the place again this morning.

Willbe back later on my new one "I HOPE"

Hi Everyone! Nasty wet morning here, and COLD!! waiting for people to come and view!! If they don't want the house, then we have decided to take it off the market for a while as we shall most likely lose the cottage, and along with everything else it's just TOO stressful I think we both need a break from fuss and commotion! We shall just carry on with the clearing out of rubbish, and do some 'deep breathing'!! Sadly our 'friends' will be back in about 3 weeks, but we shall just have to ignore them as best we can! Oi! Oi! I see a car drawing up!

13.10 pm

Well i think i'am now cobweb free , i really must get a new cobweb brush , the feathers keep coming out of this one .

Ann, lovely photo's thanks ,you do find some lovely walks to go on .

Enjoy your meal tonight Fiona , we're off out next Friday as its sisters birthday ,i find i can only eat two courses now ,main and sweet course ,have to have my sweet course lol
I don't have Family Tree Maker Fiona ,i have to say i don't really now what it is !!

Still dry here ,got the washing out ,don't know if there's a dry out, they are blowing a bit .

Had my reminder for Genes subs yesterday ,runs out end of the month , now seven pound something for six months , i don't believe it !!! its gone down in price !!!!! was nine pounds something last time .

Got Toby at my feet ,i'am eating an apple and he always eats the apple core ,he spits the pips and the stork out though lol

1.25

Hi Everyone A glorious day here with lots of sun. Hubby still trying to dig out his tree stump ( this is day 3 ) but I think he is almost there. Have had a busy morning doing chores and also awalk to stretch the old muscles. I have been looking for Waxwings which were seen yesterday outside the doctors surgery but no sign today.I think it is quite late for them as they should be on their way back to Scandanavia by now.
Ann thanks for the lovely photos and it sounds as though you had a super day out.
Mandy Have not made the ice cream yet but intend to try it.
Thanks for reminding me about growing seeds on the window ledge. I think we will try this with Hazel this weekend.
I do not have to cook today as hubby out to dinner tonight so will just have a snack. I expect to spend the weekend cooking for the family so its nice having a day off.
Frank Loved the photographs of Bambi and Thumper.
Must go now and see what is happening in the garden.

2.40

3.45pm

Just heard from Conrad. He won't be down to do the computer till tomorrow. Somethings cropped up. Harvey rang, they are sending out of hospital this afternoon. We will go to see him Sat or Sunday. I bet Lewis will be pleased.

Bright sunshine now and very warm.

Afternoon All,

Nice and sunny here but a bit chilly today. The blue sky has lots of those white, cotton wool clouds we painted as children.

Knees feel a bit sore today, but they recover quicker these days so that's good. We did a bit in the garden today, levelling off some humps and bumps, but OH lifted a humper fulll of soil a bit sharply and he says he's pulled his back so he'll be in the bath tonight to try and ease it........How many times have I told him to be careful lifting things??

Hope you enjoy your evening out Fiona. I can't remember when I last had 3 courses, 2 is plenty for me nowadays.......well the portions are bigger too now aren't they. lol I'm afraid I haven't used Family Tree M*ker either, so can't help.

Mandy, I think the spiders go bungee jumping in the spring to leave those long strings......they seem to suddenly appear overnight don't they. Don't you just love what the little ones say! lol

Hope the viewing goes well Liz.......you never know, this might be THE ONE. Whatever happens, if you get all sorted ready to move, it will be easier when it does happen. Pity the neighbours will soon be back.

15.50

That is good news about Harvey, Frank. He sounded as if he was feeling good and got his appetite back.

I shall be interested in how those plum tomatoes do if they are the little ones. They are one of my favourites. I am going back to Gardener's Delight this year as we prefer them to what we grew last year. I noticed a few of the peas peeking through this morning.

FIL decided he needed a handbook for the car so ordered one from the garage the car was originally sold from in Polesworth. It is a straightforward run from where he lives, about 8 miles, but because the garage man flummoxed him with different directions to the way he was going to go, he now wants OH to take him over to fetch it. OH is not thrilled because they reckon the garage won't post it and it is a 50 mile round trip to go from here!!. We could have ordered it from the local dealer about 3 miles away from us if he had told us he wanted one!!! Sometimes I think they forget OH is on a pension too.

I keep forgetting!!!
16.07

suns out here now.

Ann the photo of the water vole is marvelous. All the reflections of the grasses in the water make smashing paterns.

Got our vidio on the boat trip we are going on and there is such a lot to learn. Also the boats won't go right up to the edge in most places as you will ground the boat so they have a plank of wood if you can't jump ashore. I can just see me trying to walk the plank. They don't have a grappling hook on board to pull me out if I fall in!! You have to check the prop is clear each morning and then put all the hatch back and make sure it is seated properly before putting the clamp back on. Fill your water tank each day as this makes the boat run level for going under low bridges. I can see us getting in a right state!! OH will be shouting at me and I am not sure I want to go now!!!!

16.44

I thought this was going to be a relaxing holiday but it seem I shall be working as usual running up an ddown the great long boat, jumping ashore to tie the boal up and having to do special knots. using one of the two poles to push us back into the middle of the canal. Remembering to pass other boats on the right hand side (starboard). We also have an infantry of all the gear on the boat down to 2 pint glasses. Just as well there are not three of us!! No microwave on our boat thank goodness.

16.48

Fiona I have Family Tree Maker but I can navigate the GR tree better and you can't copy and paste things on the notes bit on mine so you have to type anything you want to put in notes yourself. Don't know if they have changed that now or not. Have had it some years now but many more people on the GR tree.

16.50

Mel .Take Control.You do the steering and get Stephen to do the running about lolol.You will have a great time I'm sure once you get the hang of it.
Think of all the nice pubs you will moor up at and have some good meals all done for you.(or are you planning on cooking).I know which I would chose !

We have a beautiful sky now ,but it is freezing.

Tomorrow I am off to London to a Meet with some other Members on GR.I will be going with a girl from Northampton on the train.I said she can be in charge of getting us to the right place lol.So I will not be around at all until the evening.

17.51

Fiona Do enjoy your evening out and I hope you have a super meal.
Mel The information for your boating holiday sounds very comprehensive.
A very very long time age we holidayed with both sets of parents on the Thames and we only had half an hours tuition before they let us out in a brand new cruiser. FIL did the steering as he was unable to do anything physical and he crashed the boat into a lock which resulted in our losing our deposit. My father then sprained his ankle jumping off to help with the mooring leaving hubby to do most of the work. He came home exhausted but we did have a super time although we never holidayed en famille again!!
Ann Amazed to hear that you have peas sprouting. We have not even put ours in yet. We are still having some frosts and the ground is very cold so no point starting them yet.Hubby managed to remove the tree stump from the ground but is unable to move it as too heavy so more sawing needed next week.
Frank I am so pleased Harvey is ok and am sure he will be glad to return home.
As you all know we are off to visit Berko tomorrow so I will let you all know if and when baby arrives
Be good and if you can't be good be careful!!!

Lewis will be pleased to have his dad home Frank ,they don't keep you in long now do they ?

Sounds like you'll be having fun and games then Mel lol
I'am sure you'll soon get the hang of it ,make sure you wear your life jacket until you get your footing ,at least you'll float if you go in , will you have any locks to navigate ?

Really cold outside ,the nights are really pulling out now, twenty passed six and still quite light .

6.22

The peas are in a length of gutter in the greenhouse Anne.....when they go out they will be under cloches too.

Jane gadding off to London tomorrow then, should be exciting meeting some more GR members. Not stopping overnight this time?

I liked those reflections in the water too Mel. Not sure I would be very good on the plank either, best to get moored up before the wine bottle comes out I think! lol At least you can get the hang of some of the instructions before you go. I bet I would mess up the paddles on the locks. When we were walking past the barges yesterday OH said he was not sure he would want to steer one. He was imagining having to turn around at the time and there isn't much room he said. The main thing is to move slowly when you are close to things I imagine. All the people on the barges spoke to us yesterday, looked like they were really enjoying themselves. I forgot to mention yesterday that one had birdfeeder hooks pushed into the canal bank and there were lots of little birds using it. The bridges on that stretch had signs on them showing how far it was to the next 'eaterie' . lol

18.41

No Ann,no staying over this time lol.Last time I drove so there was no way I could drive home !!.Chris is taking me into Northampton to pick up Rach and drop us off at the railway station,and will pick us up in the evening.It will be an early start.Leave here at 8.15,so I think it will be an early night tonight.
Hannah is back this evening but I'm not sure what time.I may be asleep.I hope she has enjoyed her time in Dublin.

Anne,I hope all is well on the Baby front .Can't wait to hear some news!!!

Frank ,I expect Harvey is home now and Lewis will be a happy boy to have his Dad back again.It is amazing how quick these ops are done and you are back home again.I think when I was nursing you would be in hospital for maybe 10 days for an appendectomy.

Same dinner tonight as last night.Brisket ,root veg and mash with runner beans for me and sprouts fro Chris.I thought I might leave out the sprouts as I know they would be giving me wind tomorrow ,and I don't want that lol

19.04